Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-03-18
TIE POCKET VETO.
RosEBURG, March Is, 1887


Mr.. EDITOR: Upon the subject of
the amount of money unexpended from
former appropriations and yet avail
able on rivers and harbors in which
Oregon is interested the Ofegonian of
the Sth of this month contains the fol
lowing item:
"An Oregonian man called on Capt.
Charles +. Powell, U. S. Engineers,
yesterday, to inquire the amount in
his har.ds still unexpended, Capt.
Powell did not have exact figures at
hand, but gave from memory the fol-
lowing statement, which is approxi-
matcly correct:
Mouth of the Columbia r. about. .SISc, 900
Yaquina bay little less than. ...... 10000
Coos bay. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 10000
CoquIlle river. r........ =. 10000
Cascades canal l. 10000
The appropriations for rivers empty
ing into Puget sound have been about
half used up.
The Office Of Major w. A. Jones
was visited for the purpose of learning
what amount remained for the lower
Columbia and willamette, upper Col
umbia and Snake, and upper William
cite, but that officer was not in"
Now then, when the facts are ascer-
tained and the figures added up it will
be found that there is an unexpended
balance in the treasury i'll favor Of the
Columbia and its tributaries, and for
the improvement of oui harbors of nigh
unto half million dollars. The Ore
gonian of Monday last is authority
for the statement that Senator Mitchell
says that sixteen million dollars Of
the last appropriation for this kind Of
work throughout the United States
remain unexpended, and yet some peo-
pie grumble that Cleveland has not
sanctioned the appropriation of more
to remain unutilized for year at least
A glutton might desire to eat two
meals at one sitting, none other would
The appropriation of money for the
mere glory Of doins so is not right; il
is neither wisdom nor patriotism
You must remember Mr. Editor tha
congress has about seven regular ap
preparation bills to pass each session
On The first day of the session each body
is furnished with plain, Ineligible esti
mates Of what is required, carefully
prepared by the various departments
Thcle is no reason why these measures
should not pass within the first eigh
weeks and the president given ample
: time to examine them and not rushct
as he is at the end of each session
Congress could then devote their leis
ure to private interests and public
buncombe. 1t should also be remem
bered that many items creep into tn
river and harbor bill that greatly pref
udice its approval upon constitutions
grounds to the disparagemcnt O
meritorious measures. The appropr
alton of public money to improve loca
rivers, having their rise and flow ez
clusiyely in one state, never was an
never should be democratic policy.
is contrary to the teachings of Nor
. roe and other wise and good men {
, that party.
l regret that so small a balance rC
j., mains i'll favor of Coquille and Coo
bay. 1t argues that the former az
, preparation was disproportionatei
), small or the officers in charge hay
n been prudently and properly at worl
o These items [ apprehend however, i
. view of the size of the bill did not il
!. tiuence the action of the president i
r the premises. 1 expect republicans
% abuse the president because he is
democrat, but he should not he ccl
demned in the household Of his friends
without at least reasonable reflection
q Cleveland is a very pure, practica
clear headed man. L. F. LANE